Bangladesh has expressed its grave concern over the successive missile launching by North Korea over Japan and urged the country to refrain from such tests. “Bangladesh has observed with grave concern the successive launching by the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) of its 2nd ballistic missile over Japan. We find it equally disconcerting that within a span of a month North Korea in defiance of the international community has launched such tests,” said a statement issued by the foreign ministry yesterday.

Through this unilateral act North Korea has clearly undermined regional peace and security, it said. “Bangladesh would like to align itself with the recent resolution of the UN Security Council that has strongly condemned the highly provocative ballistic missile tests conducted by North Korea. We also echo the sentiments expressed through the UNSC resolution that the nuclear and missile tests by North Korea have caused grave security concerns around the world,” said the statement.

“Bangladesh calls upon North Korea to refrain from such missile tests that deviate from the cardinal principle of the UN of ‘collective peace and security’. North Korea should clearly demonstrate through its acts that it is willing to work for reducing tension in the Korean Peninsula,” it said.